Caster



S. HAMM. GASTER.

(No Model.)

No. 525,496. Patented Sept. 4, 1894.

zagia dd UNITED STATES SIEGMUND HAMM, OF SAN PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,496, dated September 4, 1894.

Application filed May '7, 1894.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SIEGMUND HAMM, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Furniture-Casters; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in casters for furniture.

It consists of the constructions and combinations of parts which I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention,-Figure l is a perspective view of my device. Fig. 2 is avertical section of the outside sleeve.

A is a tubular sleeve which is adapted to fit into a hole bored in the bottom of the leg of the furniture. This sleeve is provided with radially projecting wings B, near the upper end, which extend sufliciently to drive firmly into the wood around the sides of the hole in which the sleeve is fitted. The sleeve is split nearly from top to bottom as shown at C, and the two sides are sufficiently elastic so that they may be separated from each other at the bottom by a little pressure, the hole in which the socket fits being large enough at the bottom to allow this separation. The bottom is formed with a projecting rim or flange D which forms a finish, and the interior has an inwardly projecting lip or flange D at the bottom which is of somewhat smaller diameter than the interior of the sleeve. The hole in the wood, into which the sleeve is driven is suificiently larger than the sleeve at the lower end, to allow the two sides to be separated at the bottom by pressure between them, while the wings or flanges at the top are sufficiently firm in the wood to retain the sleeve in its place at all times.

The caster F turns in a fork G of the usual style, having a shank H which extends up into the sleeve A and turns loosely therein. Near the bottom of this shank an enlarged fillet or ringI is turned, the diameter of which is slightly greater than the interior diameter of the lip D on the sleeve. From the greatest diameter of this ring or fillet, it declines Serial No. 510,394. (No model.)

each way until itmerges into the stem or spindle itself, and this inclination, forming a slight bevel in each direction, allows the stem to be forced into the sleeve until this ring has passed within the lip D. The elasticity of the split sleeve allows the sides to separate when the stem is pressed in, until the fillet has passed within the lips, and its elasticity then closes it altogether, so that the stem is retained in place by reason of the ring or fillet being within the lips. At the same time the caster turns freely in the socket but will not drop out or be removed without force.

If it is desired to remove the caster, it is only necessary to pull upon it slightly when the inclined or beveled side of the ring or fillet acts to separate the lower end of the socket and allow the shank to be withdrawn. In this manner I am enabled to secure casters of all kinds to furniture, and prevent their being withdrawn and lost by accident, but they are easily removed or replaced by the exercise of a little force.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A caster, the shank of which is provided with an enlarged bead or fillet surrounding it near its base, and an elastic socket having separable sides and inwardly projecting lip or flange adapted to receive the same and lock it, while allowing it to rotate freely.

2. A caster having a shank with an enlarged fillet beveled or tapering upon each side of the center, a socket with wings or flanges upon the exterior of its upper end adapted to secure it in the part to which it is fitted, said socket having the sides split apart so that they may have an elastic motion to or from each other, and an inwardly projecting annular lip around the bottom within which the fillet upon the shank of the caster is inserted by pressure, and the caster is secured and rotates freely within the socket.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 5

SIEGMUND HAMM. Witnesses:

S. H. NOURSE, GEO. H. STRONG. 

